A video showcasing the high-tech world of everyday life in South Korea has gone viral on Instagram.
The clip was posted by @palindri, the Instagram account of a woman named Lina who has been living in South Korea for the past five years, according to a video shared by the account on Wednesday.
A message overlaid on the viral clip, which has received 25.3 million views since it was posted January 9, says: "Korea really lives in 2050."
The video showcases various forms of technology in the country, where "robots make coffee" and you can access "automatic umbrella dryers" in public spaces and "dogs in strollers" are everywhere.
The features highlighted in the clip come as no surprise to some, as South Korea is famed for having its finger on the pulse of advanced technology. It is home to the world's first offering of 5G mobile services and one of the fastest internet connection speeds in the world.
Robots don't stop at making coffee in South Korea. They have served food too, such as burgers at the No Brand Burger restaurant in Seoul in 2020 to help eliminate face-to-face interaction during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Or fried chicken at the Robert Chicken chain in the South Korean capital.
Robots have also cleaned airports and escorted passengers to their departure gates at South Korea's Incheon International Airport.
Later this year, visitors to the Seoul Robot & AI Museum, which is set to be completed in this year's third quarter, will be greeted by a robot upon entry. They'll then get the chance to interact with different smart technologies, from more robots to augmented/virtual reality features, according to Melike Altinisik Architects, the designers behind the museum.
The Instagram post also comes as South Korea aims to attract 30 million foreign tourists by 2027. The country's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced last month that it will invest around $1 billion in tourism in 2024. That sector suffered dramatic fallout from the pandemic.
'One of the Most Convenient Countries'
Lina recently moved to Jeju Island—the largest of the country's more than 3,000 islands, it's dubbed the "Hawaii of South Korea"—after living in Seoul with her Korean husband, according to another video she shared.
A caption shared with her video reads: "I believe Korea is one of the most convenient countries with the fastest service...fast, convenient, technological - that's how I would describe Korea these days."
The footage shows a person placing an umbrella into a device that appears to instantly dry it. The clip then shows a robot arm grabbing a paper cup from one end of a coffee kiosk, using two handles attached to the front of the arm. The robot arm brings the cup to the other end of the bar to fill it up before it is placed through a serving window.
"You can use kiosk to order in a lot of cafes, restaurants or even pay with a kiosk in many shops. You don't have to talk to people," the post's caption reads.
"Even delivery guys run away from your door after leaving your order so that you don't see each other cause it's awkward haha," the caption adds.
A message overlaid on the screen then says, "Traffic lights on the ground for when you're looking at your phone" as the footage shows a panel of lights on a pavement switching from red to green before a pair of feet are seen walking along the street crossing.
The caption in the post says: "If a person doesn't stare at their phone on public transportation it's a bit weird hahah."
The video shows "heated benches at the bus stops" as well as "power bank rent" devices, which are found in convenience stores and other public places, according to the clip. The footage also shows a machine featuring what appear to be several connecting ports available for charging your phone.
The caption in the post notes: "Wifi is available in many public places, mobile data works literally everywhere on full speed, wireless charges in public places are becoming more and more common."
Instagram users were very impressed by the footage. User cxx.7z wrote: "Heated benches are the best."
User lizyi0619 said: "Amazing technology!!" User dollfaceisme wrote: "They just get it."
And user thacutegeminme said: "Dream country fr [for real]."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via Instagram. This video has not been independently verified.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
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